Merry Christmas, Charlie Burns!
by 554Laura
Summary: A short multi-chapter story written as a Bonesology Christmas gift for my friend Galaxy Gurl. Can Charlie Burns survive the Christmas season this year? And who's going to play Santa Claus at the FBI Christmas party? Fluffy fun awaits...
1. Chapter 1

**This is a Christmas Gift story for my friend Galaxy Gurl. She wanted the Booth kids interacting with Hank Sr. or Max, and I wrote that part in my story called "The Shopping Trip". For the second story, we have Brennan and Booth encountering someone from their past while out Christmas shopping or doing some other routine holiday activity...Caroline Julian involved with Charlie Burns or Genny Shaw in a holiday situation, some romance, some holiday whimsy, an unexpected kindness, and some childhood memories. I hope this story covers all your wishes, GG. This is the first of three chapters. Merry Christmas. Laura**

* * *

It was the middle of December as Charlie Burns sat in his office alone, trying to concentrate as he worked through a stack of pending case files. He grumbled to himself as he read the one on top of the stack. The report inside was about another internet scam...some scumbag was trying to bilk unsuspecting little old ladies out of their social security checks by claiming to be African royalty. _Jesus...you'd think these guys would come up with something new by now…_

Deciding that he needed a little break, he closed the file and pushed it aside before rising from his chair to look out the window. Tiny snowflakes were fluttering softly toward the ground, just as they had all afternoon. The city was supposed to have an accumulation of less than an inch...just enough to make all the locals drive like idiots, but not enough to give them a white Christmas this year. He laughed to himself as he thought about the winters of his childhood in Minnesota. The people who lived in St. Paul wouldn't even notice the light dusting DC was supposed to get today. _Too bad I can't make it home this year… I'd like to see Mom and Dad...but I gotta work..._ Of course, he had to work. He'd had to work over every Christmas ever since he'd begun working at the FBI. He'd had vacations at other times of the year, but he missed his family's holiday traditions, especially sitting by the fire on Christmas Eve as his family took turns reminiscing about past holidays, or the mouth watering scent of his parents' house as the ham and turkey were roasting in the oven on Christmas Day.

He stood at the window for a few more minutes, leaning on the sill and watching the snow, trying to fight the urge to feel sorry for himself. Missing his family wasn't the only thing that made him feel so blue that day. It had been almost exactly two years since Ellen had ended things between them, and it seemed he still wasn't over it. He knew it was silly to hang onto her memory like that, but Christmas seemed to stir up plenty of unwanted feelings for him.

Maybe it was the Christmas music. There was no escaping it this time of year. He still remembered hearing _I'll Be Home for Christmas_ playing in the background as they sat at a table in the brightly decorated Royal Diner. Ellen had just informed him that she was going to take a position with the Seattle Symphony as their principal bassoonist, and she'd be moving to the other side of the country during the first week of January. He'd just sat there, stunned and brokenhearted, as she went on and on about the wonderful opportunity she'd been offered, and how she hoped he'd understand why she was leaving him. He'd offered to go with her, but he knew that wasn't really what she wanted. They were through. He'd nodded silently as he listened to her explanation again, wondering if he could return the engagement ring he'd bought for her Christmas gift…

...Which he did. Ellen and her new husband were now happily living the good life in the Pacific Northwest, and Charlie was still living alone in his tiny DC apartment. He sighed as he glanced at his watch. It was time to move along...time to get back to work, and time to get on with his life. Turning to move back to his desk, he was surprised to see he had a visitor standing in the doorway.

"Charlie Burns...how you doin' this fine afternoon?"

"Hello, Ms. Julian." Eying the prosecutor suspiciously as he sat down behind his desk, he gestured toward a chair. "Please come in...have a seat. What can I do for you today?"

Ms. Julian sauntered into his office carrying a giant shopping bag. She smiled as she perched on the edge of the chair. "It's not what you can do for me, Cher'. It's what I can do for you. Director Hamilton and I have come up with a wonderful idea…"

"Really?" Rolling his eyes, Charlie laughed sarcastically. "So Director Hamilton actually had an idea? I guess there are still miracles to be had at Christmas." Sighing softly, he shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. "Okay, let's get it over with…how am I gonna be screwed this time?"

"Now is that any kind of attitude to have at this time of the year? You seem to think I've come to deliver some bad news to you, but I'm here to tell you nothin' is further from the truth." Caroline pulled the gargantuan bag onto her lap and looked through it a bit before winking at Charlie. "This is good news. You've been selected to be the Santa Claus for the FBI Children's Christmas party! Look..." She pulled a fleecy red jacket from the bag. "Here's your nice red fur suit...and a hat...I guess you have to provide your own black shoes and belt…but it'll be lots of fun..."

"No." Charlie turned away from her to study his computer monitor. "No way. I'm...gonna be...busy. That's it...I'm busy. Maybe you should ask Greg Hatfield in Domestic Terrorism instead."

"In case you haven't noticed, Agent Hatfield is downright skinny now that he's planning on getting married in April." Noticing Charlie's self conscious grimace, Caroline smiled sweetly. "I'm not saying you're really chubby, Cher'. It's more like you're the only one around here who's a single guy without kids, okay? That's all."

Charlie knew she was right, but that didn't keep him from whining a little bit. "I think Booth should do it. He's the guy who says we've gotta have a Santa Claus at the party…"

"That little girl of his is so smart she'd rat him out in a minute, and then there'd be all sorts of tears from a crowd of very sad children. What kind of Christmas party would that be?" The prosecutor narrowed her eyes at him. "You tellin' me you don't wanna be Santa just for an afternoon? You're gonna be the guy who lets all those sweet little kids down? I thought you were a better man than that, Charlie Burns. I never figured you to be a Scrooge…"

Sighing heavily, Charlie knew he was beaten. "Oh, alright already. I'll be Santa. It's not like I have anything better to do on a Saturday afternoon right before a major holiday." He walked around his desk and looked through the bag. "Is there a beard in here? Oh, there it is…" He held it up to his chin and tried to smile. "Ho ho ho…", he mumbled. "Merry Christmas…"

"That's more like it. So two o'clock Saturday in the big conference room downstairs. You'll just sit in the Santa chair and the kids will come to talk to you, and you'll give them a candy cane, okay? That's all there is to it." Caroline rose and turned to leave, hesitating as she got to the door. "Thanks, Charlie. I knew I could count on you. I told Director Hamilton you'd be willing to help us out, since you're such a good guy. Just think of all those kids you're gonna make happy. See you Saturday." With a quick nod, she was gone.

"Yeah...I guess...but am I gonna make myself happy?" He put the shopping bag in the corner of his office, out of the way, and slumped into his desk chair, wondering if his Christmas holiday could possibly get any worse.

Oooooooooo

Special Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan were struggling to push their heavily laden shopping cart through the crowded and noisy Priceco aisles on a Friday evening. Turning to her husband, Brennan sighed dramatically, making sure it was loud enough to be heard over the clamorous din of canned Christmas music. "It appears that everyone in the DC area has decided to shop in this store at the same time, Booth. Perhaps we should've come earlier in the week."

"Yeah, I guess so, but we need to get the stuff tonight so we'll have it for the party tomorrow. Hey, look at this! Roller blades that light up in different colors when you go different speeds! Christine would love these!"

"Booth, we need to concentrate on the task at hand! We can't be distracted by all of the toys right now. Besides, we've already purchased several gifts for our children." She grinned as he sullenly put the skates back on the shelf. "However, perhaps Christine would like a pair of those skates."

"You bet she would!" He happily picked out his daughter's size and put them in the cart. "Okay, now let's see what's left to get. We've got all of the coats, right?"

"Yes. I've been checking the items off the list the Caroline gave me. There were twenty families at the school who needed holiday assistance, so we've selected coats for all of the children, some mittens, undergarments and socks for them, and a new sweatshirt and a pair of shoes for each one." She watched with amusement as her husband looked through the board games. "I think it would be easier to select a toy for each child if you didn't insist on playing with everything in the toy department."

"Hey, I just want to make sure we get the kids something they'll like, okay? No kid wants to get a toy that's no fun, even if it is free. Ooh, look at those little cars…they're so shiny...and we need some baby dolls..." Booth laughed with glee as he picked up a stuffed dog. "...and look at this puppy dog. Come on, Bones...you gotta admit..he's cute, right? We gotta get this dog for one of those kids. I know...we can get each of them two toys…every kid needs some sort of stuffed animal to cuddle. I remember one year when I was small I got a brown teddy bear for Christmas. I loved that thing..."

Brennan was about to mention their Christmas budget again when she heard someone coughing softly behind her. "Excuse me…"

"Agent Perotta! How good to see you again." Brennan moved her cart out of the way to let the woman by. "It's been several years, hasn't it?"

"Yes...in fact, I'm no longer 'Agent' Perotta." She nodded to the squirming toddler sitting in the front of the cart. "Cooper just turned two, and, as you can see…" She placed her hands on her heavily pregnant belly. "...he's getting a little brother for Christmas. I'm a stay at home mom now, at least for a few more years..."

Carrying an armful of stuffed animals, Booth came over to join the women. "You remember, Bones...Peyton married an orthodontist who has a practice in Baltimore…" He smirked as he glanced at her pregnant figure. "So it looks like things are going good for you since you gave up the Bureau…"

"They are, for the most part…" Peyton smiled at the brunette woman walking down the aisle toward them. "I mean, I'm really tired, of course, but that goes with the territory. Oh, this is my sister, Prentice. She's visiting from Minneapolis. I'm trying to convince her to transfer to the FBI office here in DC, but without much luck. Prentice, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth, and Dr. Temperance Brennan. I worked with them on a few cases many years ago."

"Nice to meet you both." Prentice smiled shyly as she shook hands. "I'm here for a couple of weeks...just visiting for the holidays and to help out my big sister with the new baby."

"Well, if you're really interested in a transfer, let me know, and I'll put in a good word for you...not that my word makes that much difference." Everyone chuckled at Booth's joke. "What division are you with in Minneapolis?"

"Domestic Terrorism, but we don't really have a lot going on there most of the time. Things are pretty calm in the Midwest. I like living in Minnesota, but I miss being with my family, too." Prentice shrugged as she watched her sister try to wipe the wiggly toddler's runny nose. "I haven't really decided what to do yet."

"I see." Booth held up a stuffed cat for them to admire. "He's a cutie, right? We're shopping for the FBI family Christmas party. You should come, Peyton, and bring your sister. I'm sure Cooper would have fun. Santa Claus will be there."

"I don't know...Cooper's had a bit of a cold." Peyton tried to wipe the boy's nose again as he pushed her hand away. "But it would be fun to see everyone...provided I don't go into labor there...and Cooper hasn't been to see Santa yet…"

As if on cue, Cooper let out a loud, high pitched squeal. "Wanna see Santy, Mama. Don't wanna go home. Mama…I hungry. Wanna cookie. Now, Mama! I wanna see Santy Cwaus. I hungry..."

"Be good just a little bit longer, Cooper. Auntie Prentice and Mama have to pay for our things. Maybe we can see Santa tomorrow, but you have to be good, okay?" Peyton smiled weakly as the small boy began a very loud, very shrill tantrum. "I guess we'd better call it a night. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you, too." Booth smiled at his wife as he dropped the toys into their cart. "I think we did the right thing leaving the kids with Angela for the evening. It sounds like Peyton has her hands full."

"I agree, Booth, although we may have our hands full soon. We promised to take Michael-Vincent for an evening next week while Hodgins and Angela completed their Christmas shopping, remember?"

"Yeah, but he's a good kid. He won't be too hard to take care of." He winked at his wife as he helped her navigate the heavy cart toward the checkout lines. "Maybe that could be you next Christmas, right? Pregnant and ready to give birth any day?"

She gave him a coy smile as she reached into her purse for her credit card. "We might not have to wait until next Christmas…"

"What? No way…Really?" Booth stood perfectly still in the middle of the aisle, wearing a silly grin as shoppers streamed around him. Seeing his wife's impish expression, he nodded happily. "Okay, so when?"

"I'm not sure yet. I have a doctor's appointment next week, and I'll know more then." Surprised that her husband was being so calm, Brennan tilted her head as she watched him. "I realize this probably wasn't the best place to tell you, but you're the one who brought it up…"

He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. "Just wait 'til we get home…."

* * *

If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura


	2. Chapter 2

_Party time!_

* * *

Charlie Burns sighed heavily as he pulled into the Hoover's parking garage after lunch on Saturday afternoon. He'd tried to get himself into the spirit of the holidays without much success, and now he was actually dreading the party. The thought of having to be happy and cheerful while he talked to all the rambunctious kids who would be in attendance that afternoon was almost more than he could stomach, but he'd told Ms. Julian he'd be there, and he was a man of his word, even if he did feel more like the Grinch than Jolly Old St. Nicholas.

He grumbled to himself as he retrieved the shopping bag containing his costume from the back of his SUV. No way was he going to be caught driving through the streets of Washington, DC dressed as Santa Claus. Checking his watch, he nodded to himself. It was 1:45. The party started at two o'clock, but the guest of honor wasn't scheduled to appear until 2:30. He figured he'd have a few minutes to go cruise the party trays that were laid out in the conference room before ducking into the mens' room to change into his red suit and white beard.

The extra large conference room had been transformed into a Christmas fantasy land. The walls were festooned with red and green garland and thousands of multicolored twinkling lights. Several large glittering snowflakes were hung at various levels from the ceiling, and brightly decorated Christmas trees and snowmen stood on either side of a red carpeted aisle leading up to the large velvet chair where Santa Claus would soon be seated. Enchanted by the seasonal decor, Charlie smiled in spite of his gloomy attitude. Maybe he could manage to be jolly for a couple of hours, if it would make some kids happy. After all, today wasn't really about him. Today was about helping other people enjoy the holiday.

Spying a large tray of frosted sugar cookies on a nearby table, he snagged a few yellow stars and a chocolate frosted reindeer and found a quiet place to sit so he could enjoy his treat. He watched with interest as the party guests started to arrive.

Agents from every division were welcome to bring their families for the afternoon, so a large crowd was expected. In addition, Ms. Julian had invited several families from the school she supported, in hopes of providing them with some much needed assistance at Christmas. The FBI offices at the Hoover had been collecting money all year in order to help the less fortunate members of the community, and these families had been designated as the beneficiaries of that generosity. Each child would receive a coat, a new pair of shoes, some warm clothing, and of course, toys.

After lugging several large gift bags into the room, Booth stopped to chat with his friend. "Hey, Charlie! How's it going? Caroline says you're gonna be Santa this year. I really appreciate it, buddy...it's gonna mean a lot to the kids who are gonna be here today, getting to see the Big Guy. A lot of these kids don't have any other way to do that. I guess we kinda take it for granted, taking our kids to the mall for that sort of thing, but I guess it's hard for some families to get there."

Shrugging off the thanks, Charlie nodded slightly. "Yeah, well, I had a couple of hours to kill, so why not? I've got nothing better to do today." Shrugging a shoulder, he nibbled on a cookie. "It's not like I've got a lot of stuff to do to get ready for the holidays anyway. It's just me and the cat, you know? I don't have any family in town, and I'll probably heat up a microwave turkey dinner for Christmas Day, just like I do every year." Realizing he sounded full of self-pity, Charlie chuckled. "It's really no big deal. Like Caroline said, I'm probably the only single, childless guy at the Hoover."

"Oh…". Somewhat embarrassed, Booth cleared his throat, wondering if he'd touched on a sore topic. "Yeah…" Hearing someone call his name, he turned quickly, welcoming the change of subject. "Oh, Agent Perotta...good to see you this afternoon!"

Prentice Perotta walked over to join them, balancing a squirmy Cooper on her hip. "Thanks. I hope it's okay that I came by myself. I decided Peyton could use a break. She's beat, you know, being nine months pregnant, and she's not going to have many more afternoons to just relax in peace and quiet before Jeremy gets here."

"Of course, it's okay." Grinning at the noisy baby, Booth chuckled as he tickled the little boy's tummy. "I imagine she'd like to rest and enjoy the quiet for a couple of hours. Oh, I'm sorry. Let me introduce you...Agent Prentice Perotta...this is Special Agent Charlie Burns. He's in charge of our RICO division here in DC. Charlie, this is Prentice Perotta. She's Peyton's sister, visiting for the holidays and to help with Peyton's new baby when he gets here. She's with the FBI's office in Minneapolis…Domestic Terrorism."

Standing up to shake Agent Perotta's hand, Charlie couldn't help but grin at the attractive brunette as she tried to calm the wiggling toddler. "Minneapolis? That's a coincidence. I used to live in St. Paul, although it's been a few years since I've been back there. Well, what do you think of DC so far?"

"It's nice, even if there won't be a white Christmas this year." Prentice smiled shyly at the agent as she settled a restless Cooper on a nearby chair. "I mean, I like the Twin Cities area, but Peyton's been trying to get me to transfer to the DC office for awhile now, although I'm not sure that's what I want to do…our parents live in Virginia, and Minnesota might as well be on the other side of the world as far as they're concerned."

"Yeah, I get that." Charlie offered a sad smile. "I've tried to get my parents to come to DC for a Christmas visit, so they could do all the nation's capital touristy stuff and see the way the Mall is decked out for the holidays, but they're timid about it, because they say it's too far for the 'old folks' to travel, coming all the way to the East Coast. It's almost like I want them to go to the moon, you know?"

Booth's gut instinct went on high alert as he noticed the friendly smiles and shy glances between the two agents as they chatted. There seemed to be a spark...a little bit of romantic chemistry between them. "You know what? I bet Charlie here would be glad to give you some information on the all of the available positions here in the DC office, right, Charlie? I'm sure you wouldn't mind helping her with that..."

"Um, yeah...I'd love to...I mean, you know, if that's what she wants." Shifting from one foot to the other, Charlie shrugged nervously as he gulped down a cookie before looking at his watch. "But right now, I've gotta go change. We don't want Santa Claus to keep the kids waiting, do we?"

"True…", Booth agreed with a grin, "...and we definitely don't want to get crossways with Caroline by making her wait, either."

"You got that right!" Pausing awkwardly, Charlie grinned as he grabbed his shopping bag. "I hope I get to talk to you later, Prentice. I'd enjoy comparing notes about the Twin Cities..."

She nodded as she tried to corral her nephew, who was headed for one of the shimmering Christmas trees. "I'd like that, too. It'd be fun." After grabbing Cooper's hand, Prentice turned to Booth as she watched Charlie walk away. "He seems so nice…imagine him giving up his afternoon like that to play Santa Claus...not many men would be willing to do that..."

"Yeah, Charlie's a good guy. Now, why don't we get you and Cooper some punch and cookies…"

Oooooooooo

The party was in full swing as Charlie, alias Santa Claus, stood in a hallway off to one side, waiting for Ms. Julian to announce his arrival. He looked across the crowded room, trying to catch another glimpse of Agent Perotta. He finally caught her eye, and she gave him a brilliant smile and a small wave. His heart fluttered a bit as he waved back. _Hmm...maybe this Santa gig isn't such a bad deal after all...especially if it gets pretty women to notice me..._

Finally the big moment arrived, and the crowd cheered as Santa Claus's grand entrance was announced. A fanfare of Christmas music played loudly while he waved to the guests before strolling up the red carpet to take his seat with a flourish. He chuckled heartily as he began in his best Santa voice. "Well, Ms. Julian, it looks like we have a fine collection of good boys and girls this year. I wonder if any of them would like to come tell me what they want for Christmas."

"You bet, Santa." Caroline smiled happily as the children clamored to get in line. "Okay now, kids...one at a time...Santa will be able to talk to everybody...no need to push…let's make a line..."

After his initial irritation and discomfort had worn off, Charlie was surprised to find how much he was enjoying himself as he pretended to be the Jolly Old Elf. It was fun to listen as the kids told him about the video games, doll houses, and ponies that they wanted, and he'd posed for pictures with several kids, much to their parents' delight. Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves tremendously, and only one or two children had been afraid of the large man in the furry red suit. He was able to gently dry their tears and put them at ease with the skill of a seasoned Santa Claus.

Caroline grinned as she came to stand by Booth, who was still arranging gift bags for the party guests. She gave him a gentle nudge in the ribs as she watched Santa Claus interact with the kids.. "You were right. Charlie Burns is doing an excellent job as St. Nick."

"You didn't tell him it was my idea for him to be Santa, did you?" Booth looked mildly panicked as he stacked more bags. "I mean, I wanna stay friends with the guy…"

"You know me better 'n that, Cher'." She gave him a coy smile. "I told him it was Director Hamilton's idea, which was almost a mistake, because we all know that _couillon_ never had a genuine idea in his life. But don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

"Good. Thanks." Sighing with mock relief, Booth winked at his friend and offered her a sly charm smile. "I don't suppose you're gonna make me any pralines for Christmas, are you?"

"Pralines are only for good boys...like those who close their cases quickly and give the prosecutor a lot of good evidence so she can easily get a slam dunk conviction." Caroline grinned at Booth and nodded. "I bet there'll be some treats under the FBI Christmas tree with your name on it."

"You're the best, Caroline…" Booth chuckled as she preened a little bit under his compliment.

"I know. It's about time you figured that out." She nodded toward Santa's chair. "Oh, lookie there...better get your phone out…"

It was finally Christine Booth's turn to have a visit with Santa. As she made herself comfortable on his knee, she studied him intently. "Are you real?", she asked solemnly, "...or are you make believe?"

"Ho ho ho. What kind of question is that, young lady? You're sitting on my lap, aren't you?"

The child thought over the question carefully. "Yes, but Maribeth at my school says that Santa Claus isn't real...that it's just my mommy and daddy giving me presents instead you bringing them in your sleigh and coming down the chimbly."

"Hmm...I see." Santa stroked his beard as he thought over the question. "Let's be logical for a minute, okay, Christine? Look...your mommy and daddy are standing over there, right? Wave at them…"

Christine gave a small wave and her smiling parents waved back.

"So if they were really Santa Claus, then they'd be up here, sitting in this chair, and listening to what all the boys and girls want for Christmas, right? But instead, the kids are all telling _me_ what they want for Christmas, and _not_ your Mommy and Daddy. So what do you think? Am I real?"

"Well...I guess...maybe you're real." A grin spread across the child's face. "I think maybe Mommy and Daddy give me presents because they want to be like Santa Claus, and maybe there's a lot of people dressed like Santa Claus around Christmas because they all want to be nice, just like you are."

Laughing happily, Charlie nodded in agreement. "And I think that's a pretty good answer. So what do you want for Christmas this year, Christine?"

"I want some Shopkins, and a Shopkins house, and a chemistry set and a new pair of rollerblades." The little girl giggled as she unwrapped the candy cane she was given. "Thanks, Santa."

"You're welcome, Sweetheart. Have a Merry Christmas." He smiled as she jumped down from his lap.

"Merry Christmas. I'll leave some cookies out for you on Christmas Eve, okay?"

"Great! Thank you." Santa chuckled softly. "Chocolate chip, okay?"

Hank Booth had a great time pulling on Santa's beard before announcing that he wanted 'a million Legos and a big black dog' for Christmas, much to his mother's dismay. "I wanna big dog that goes 'woof, woof', Santa!" Bouncing happily, the boy continued. "I'll build him a big Lego dog house!"

Unfortunately, his mother was not as enthusiastic about her son's requests as Santa Claus was. "It seems that we already have a million Legos, Booth…and most of them are usually found all over the floor.", Brennan groaned as she showed him the picture she'd taken of Hank and Christine sitting with Santa. "That was the last thing I wanted to get for Hank…more Legos...and a dog...wherever did he come up with that idea? We don't have time to take care of a puppy or a dog."

"Just calm down. It's no big deal, Bones. We'll just get him one of those big buckets full of blocks and he'll be happy. It doesn't really have to be a million. And I think we can go get him one of those big pillows that look like a dog, too...remember? Pillow pets, or something like that? They had those at Priceco. Oh, look...Peyton's little boy is going to talk to Santa…"

Cooper babbled incoherently for a minute or two before finally telling Santa he wanted a 'Thomas train' and a big dump truck. After bouncing the active toddler on his knee, Santa handed to boy to his aunt with a sly wink and an extra candy cane. "Don't forget to be good...both of you."

"We will." Prentice giggled happily. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again real soon, Santa."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, too. Make sure you leave me a treat…"

"I'll remember…" Prentice balanced Cooper on her hip as she wore a flirty grin. "Merry Christmas…"

Oooooooooo

After a few more hours of festivities, the party was winding down. The presents had been distributed to the families who'd needed the most assistance, and every child present had received a new book, courtesy of Brennan's publisher. The punch bowl was almost empty, and the cookies were all gone except for a few crumbs and a couple of broken stars. Booth beamed happily as he watched a little girl play with a small brown teddy bear, cradling it as if it was a baby. "I was right, Bones...all the little kids liked the stuffed animals. Look how much fun she's having with that bear."

"It does seem that you were correct about that, as usual. Everything considered, I'd say the party was a great success. You and Caroline did an excellent job of putting it together." Brennan picked up some torn wrapping paper and stuffed it into a trash bag. "Charlie Burns did very well playing Santa Claus, too."

"He really did, didn't he? He was a lot better at it than I hoped he'd be, especially considering he didn't want to do it in the first place." Booth handed Brennan some ribbon and some torn boxes. "I wouldn't be surprised if he decided he wanted to be Santa for next year's party, too." Hesitating slightly, Booth glanced at his wife. "Hey, I know you may not feel like doing a lot of extra stuff for Christmas this year, seeing as you're probably in a delicate condition and all, but I'd like to invite Charlie to have Christmas dinner with us. I guess he doesn't have anybody here in town to celebrate the holidays with. His folks live in Minnesota and he isn't able to visit them for the holidays."

Rolling her eyes at her husband, Brennan stood with her hands on her hips as she pretended to glare at him. "Even if I am pregnant, I'm not in a 'delicate condition', Booth. Women can lead normal lives even while pregnant." Smiling merrily at him, she shrugged as she picked up some empty gift bags. "Of course Charlie can come for dinner, if he wants. It's no trouble to set an extra plate, and we'll have plenty of food."

"Thanks, Bones. I'll ask him about it next Monday." He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "You're pretty wonderful, you know that?"

Brennan laughed as she threw her arms around her husband's neck. "As are you, Booth. Now, come on...let's collect our children and go home. I'm tired...I want to take a nap before dinner."

He grinned as he twitched an eyebrow at her. "What an interesting coinky-dink. So do I."

She stuffed the trash bag down into the can as she smirked at him. "I was planning to sleep…"

Nodding, he smiled back as he gently took her hand in his. "So was I...eventually…"

* * *

 _Couillon is a Cajun word for idiot, pronounced coo-yawn. Thanks, FaithinBones._

 _If y'all have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: this chapter takes place Monday after the Christmas party. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Merry Christmas, Galaxy Gurl._

* * *

After he'd dragged a large shopping bag out of his SUV, Charlie was surprised to find himself whistling a few bars of _Jingle Bells_ as he waited for the elevator Monday morning. It'd been a long time since he'd been in the mood to whistle anything, let alone a Christmas song, but this morning seemed different somehow. The winter sunshine was cold and pale as it crept across the windows of the Hoover, but he felt pleasantly warm and happy. _Maybe Santa Claus is real after all..._

Yawning a bit, he chuckled as he rode the elevator up to the fifth floor. He'd been busy Sunday afternoon, digging through the hall closet pf his apartment as he tried to find his small tabletop Christmas tree. Finally he found it crammed into a cardboard box and shoved into the same back corner where he'd left it two years ago...right after Ellen had left him to take her new job in Seattle. It was bent and bedraggled now, and its branches were rather twisted out of shape, but he was determined to set it up in his living room. It had taken some time to get it to sit in its tripod just right, but he'd finally gotten the lights wrapped around it and and his few ornaments scattered along the branches, in spite of all the 'help' from Artie, his cat, who'd regarded the shiny red and silver baubles as his new playthings. The tree was now sitting on the end table next to the sofa...that is, unless the cat had knocked it down again like he had when he'd tried to climb to the top at two o'clock this morning. _Maybe I'd better get a tree that fits on a shelf somewhere...maybe I'll have time to do that at lunch...gotta keep Artie happy...I'll get him some treats, too...even the cat will have a good Christmas this year..._

Strolling toward his office, he waved at his coworkers, stopping to admire the large red poinsettia plant that had been delivered to his administrative assistant. Agent DeLuca came by to show off a picture of his six year old twins, dressed in their matching holiday sweaters and smiling happily as they sat on Santa's lap at last Saturday's party.

"They had a great time, Charlie.", he commented. "Normally, they're kind of shy around strangers, but you did a great job of putting them at ease. My wife says this is the best Santa picture they've ever had, so I wanted to say thanks…we appreciate your time."

"No problem, Pete. I'm glad they enjoyed themselves. Your girls are really cute." Charlie handed the phone back to DeLuca. "It was a lot of fun getting to talk to all the kids. I never realized how many different things kids want for Christmas..."

"Yeah, I know." Pete chuckled as he pocketed his phone. "It looked like you were having as much fun as the kids were, and I think they all knew that. Thanks again…"

Waving at the agent, Charlie walked down the hall to his own office and unlocked the door so he could get settled in for the day. He smiled in anticipation as he glanced at the report on top. Sitting down at his desk, he quickly opened the folder and chuckled in satisfaction. During a Sunday afternoon raid, his agents had busted a nest of internet vipers that had been working out of an abandoned warehouse in Richmond, confiscating several computers as well as stolen credit cards and pages of illicit personal information. Maybe Christmas was going to come a little early for the RICO division this year, since the detainees were ready to finger the big boss of their operation in exchange for some legal considerations pertaining to their arrests and convictions. Nodding happily, Charlie accessed his computer. It looked like the division would be receiving another commendation for their teamwork, and the world would be a little bit safer from internet scumbags. That was a nice Christmas gift, but there was still work that needed to be done before the holiday.

Intent on the duty schedule for January, he didn't notice his visitor until he heard the quiet cough from the doorway. "Charlie?"

"Oh, hey, Booth. What's going on?" Gesturing toward a chair, Charlie grinned. "Come on in. I guess you're still tired after putting on that great party Saturday."

"Yeah, maybe a little, but it was a lot of fun, so it was worth it, you know? Those kids had a lot of fun, and we helped out quite a few families in the process. Me and Caroline...we really appreciate you being Santa Claus for us. I know it's not really your thing…"

"Nah...no big deal." Shrugging off Booth's appreciation, Charlie blushed slightly. "I know you might not believe this, but I actually had a good time...a lot better than I thought I would. I mean, it was awkward when O'Bannon's kid peed all over me, but he was the last kid I had to talk to, and anyway, I'm not the guy responsible for cleaning the Santa suit." He pointed to the large shopping bag in the corner of his office. "I'm gonna leave that chore for Ms. Julian."

"Come on, that goes with the territory, right? I bet all Santas get peed on and thrown up on from time to time." Booth chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, my kids thought you were great. Christine is convinced that we had the real deal at the party, and she wants to know how I managed to get the genuine article there since he's so busy at this time of the year. I told her that her daddy has special connections, but I don't think she believes me. She's too much her mother's daughter to buy a load of shit like that." He scratched the back of his neck and laughed out loud. "Bones wants to know how we're gonna come up with a big black dog for Hank. She can be really literal, right? Anyway, I think we're gonna get him a toy dog instead…"

"That might be a good idea...that'd keep Santa Claus out of trouble, right? I don't want an angry Dr. Brennan hunting me down on Christmas Day, you know?" Charlie and Booth both laughed out loud. "Hey, wanna cup of coffee, Booth?"

"Nah, I gotta get back to work." Hesitating slightly as he rose from his chair, Booth studied his fingernails nonchalantly. "I just came by to see if you'd like to come to have Christmas dinner with me and Bones. We usually have a lot people over, so it won't be like you're in the way or anything, and we'll have plenty of food…"

"I don't know, Booth…" Embarrassed at the invitation, Charlie shook his head. "I mean, I don't want to be in the way…you don't have to do that."

"I know we don't have to, but we want to. Listen, we're not treating you like a charity case or anything, okay? I just think it'd be fun to see if the kids figure out you were Santa Claus at the party. Anyway, Caroline said she's gonna drop by sometime that afternoon and that usually means she's bringing pralines. She makes the best...God, they'll melt in your mouth." Booth gave Charlie a conspiratorial grin. "Besides, if we have extra company for Christmas dinner, Bones will let me cook a turkey, and I won't have to eat that tofurkey crap she tries to pass off for dinner if it's just us. That stuff is awful. Come on, Charlie...you don't really want me to have to suffer like that over the holidays, right? Do me a favor, and say you'll come over, okay?"

After thinking over Booth's request for a minute, Charlie nodded. "Yeah, what the hell. I guess I owe you a favor after you wrote me the glowing recommendation for the position of Special Agent in Charge of RICO. What time? What can I bring?"

"Come about two o'clock. You don't really need to bring anything…" Hearing Charlie's aggravated sigh, Booth quickly changed his tune. "Maybe some green bean casserole?"

"Sounds like a good idea. I'll call my mom and see how she makes it. Hers is really good. So about two?"

"Yeah. See you then." As Booth headed toward the door, he turned back to Charlie. "By the way, I didn't really have to write you a 'glowing recommendation' so you'd get this job. All I had to do was tell the truth to Director Hamilton...about how you always got the job done when we worked together, and about how reliable and resourceful you are in a pinch. You're a good agent, Charlie, and the Bureau is lucky to have a guy like you, okay? See ya later. Don't forget about Christmas Dinner...I'm counting on you, Buddy..."

"I'll be there. Talk to you later." Surprised by Booth's statement about the recommendation, Charlie watched as his friend walked through the bullpen. He knew Booth well enough to know that the man wasn't one to sugarcoat things, and he wasn't lavish with his praise unless he felt it was deserved. _Booth thinks I'm a good agent? Wow…_

Feeling energized by Booth's vote of confidence, Charlie accessed the agents' November expense accounts on his computer, but he soon found that he was having trouble concentrating. It had been years since he'd been invited to someone's house for Christmas dinner. When he and Ellen were together, they'd usually split a rotisserie chicken that they'd purchased from Priceco the day before, along with some containers of cold salads from the delicatessen. Because she was rather abrupt and somewhat taciturn, it had always been just the two of them at Christmas. Having a real Christmas dinner with all the trimmings was going to be a real treat. Of course, he realized that Booth was probably acting out of a sense of duty to his fellow agent, but that didn't matter. He was going to have a great meal with great friends, and he was planning on thoroughly enjoying himself, no matter why Booth had invited him.

His happy holiday thoughts were soon chased away when Charlie pulled up Agent Boren's expense report. "What the hell is this shit?", he muttered to himself as he saw the items listed on the report. "Son of a bitch...a bottle of champagne? Caviar?" He swore again as he ran through the second page. "Wait 'til I see her...she's gonna have some explaining to do…"

"Agent Burns?" A soft voice came from the door. "Do you have a minute?"

"What?! Oh...Agent Perotta." Charlie exhaled slowly, trying to keep his composure when he saw the pretty brunette standing there. "Of course! Please come in…"

"I hope I didn't come at a bad time…" Prentice cringed slightly as she cautiously entered Charlie's office. "You sounded annoyed."

"No, of course not...at least, I'm not annoyed with you." He glared at his computer screen. "It's just that some agents still don't understand how to correctly fill out an expense report." After logging off of his computer, he turned to his visitor. "What can I do for you? No new nephew yet, I guess…"

"No, not yet...any day now, though." She smiled shyly at the pleasant man sitting across from her. "I came by the Hoover today to check on transferring from the Minnesota office, and I thought it might be nice to stop by and say hello…"

Charlie bit his lip, hoping that Prentice wouldn't notice his nervous blush. "I'm glad you did. So what do you think? Are you going to move to the DC area?"

Laughing quietly, she shrugged. "Maybe. I guess it depends on whether or not I can put up with my parents' meddling in my life over the next couple of weeks. My mom has been on a crusade the last few years to get me married off…" Prentice paused, suddenly embarrassed as she continued. "Anyway, Peyton is going to be busy with her children for many years to come, so I may be the one who ends up taking care of my folks in their old age."

"Yeah, I get that. My brother, Greg, watches out for my parents in St. Paul. I mean, I help him anyway I can, but it's not the same as being there, I guess." Charlie sat back in his chair and gazed out his office window. "When I got my job in DC, straight out of Quantico, I wasn't planning to stay here forever, but I liked it, and then I got promoted to Special Agent in Charge, so it was like I was kind of established here, you know? I miss St. Paul, but my life is here now…"

"I completely understand." Prentice fidgeted nervously in her chair. "I love Minneapolis, and it would be hard to leave, but maybe now's the time to do it, while I'm single."

"I don't know. I've looked into positions in the field office there...it's a great town...so much to do..." Charlie shook his head as he smiled at Prentice. "But DC is great, too…"

She cleared her throat slightly before continuing. "I was wondering...if you have time...would you like to go get a cup of coffee with me? Maybe we could talk about the pros and cons of both places...if you'd like. I mean, I know you're busy, but it would be my treat…"

Glancing at his watch, Charlie hesitated for a few seconds. It was only 10:30...really too early to take a break...but he was the division's Special Agent in Charge, and it wasn't everyday that a beautiful woman asked to spend time with him, even if it was just for a cup of coffee. "Sure, why not?" He rose from his chair and grabbed his overcoat. "I know just the place, too…"

Oooooooooo

Twenty minutes later, Charlie and Prentice were sitting at a table in the brightly decorated Royal Diner, talking and laughing as Christmas music played softly in the background.

"No one believes there's really a Minnehaha Lake. I guess people think it must be imaginary with a name like that." Charlie stirred some sugar into his coffee. "Of course, we know things around here have normal names, like Potomac or Anacostia…"

"I know, right?" Prentice watched as some tiny snowflakes hit the diner's picture window. "So is there any place to go ice skating around here?"

"The National Gallery of Art has an ice rink in its sculpture garden, which is pretty nice. Hey, have you been down on the National Mall at night? It's beautiful, the way they've got it all lit up for the holidays."

"Not yet. I don't really know my way around the city very well, and Peyton's been too tired to take me anywhere." Prentice grinned shyly as she ran her fingers around the rim of her cup. "Do you know where I could find a tour guide? Someone who could show me the sights of DC?"

"Yeah, I think I know someone who'd be glad to volunteer...that is, if you don't mind hanging out with a regular guy." Shrugging as he sipped his coffee, Charlie grimaced slightly. "I'm not exactly Mr. Excitement...but I'd be glad to show you around town…"

"You know what, Charlie?" Prentice smiled at the sweet, gentle man sitting across the table from her. "I'll take Mr. Pleasant and Kind over Mr. Excitement any day." She stared at her cup, sighing softly. "It was impressive to see how well you dealt with all those little kids on Saturday...you were wonderful, and that kind of sweetness is so rare...I think I'd like to get to know a man with that kind of sweet natured personality...a man who thinks of others before himself. That kind of man is hard to find…and so it's good to hang on to one when you find him..."

"Prentice…", Charlie began softly, reaching out to take her hand, only to be interrupted by the chiming of her phone.

"Oh, Charlie...this is it." Prentice held up her phone for her companion to see. "Peyton's husband just sent me a text...she's in labor, and they're on the way to the hospital." She pulled a ten dollar bill out of her purse and put it under her cup. "I've got to run...I'll hail a cab." She bent down and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll call you...I promise. Bye, Charlie…"

"Bye, Prentice. Merry Christmas." He waved to her as she raced to the diner's door.

She stopped and gave him a dazzling smile. "Merry Christmas, Charlie. I'll call you soon…"

Oooooooooo

The days flew by until it was late on Christmas Eve. Booth and Brennan's house was dark except for the lamp on the table by the living room sofa and the glow of the fireplace. Brennan came quietly into the room and curled up next to her husband, who put his arm around her.

"I think this is the best time of the holiday, Bones. The craziness is over, and everything's still and calm. We've been to Mass, and now the kids are tucked into their beds, fast asleep, and I'm sitting here with my beautiful wife...it's perfect."

"I find that I enjoy this part of the holiday as well, especially since I get to spend it with my wonderful husband." She smiled as she held out a wrapped package. "I have something for you…"

"But it's not Christmas yet.", Booth protested.

"Technically, it is, since it's after midnight." Brennan giggled softly as he pretended to grumble. "I want you to open this one now, when it's just the two of us. It's one of those 'what's ours is ours' moments. Please?" She batted her eyelashes at him. "Don't be a Grunch…"

"Grinch, Bones. Don't be a Grinch." He studied the package carefully. "Oh, okay. I guess it couldn't hurt." He pulled the paper away from the gift and looked at it in surprise. It was a wall calendar, and each month's picture was a different muscle car. "Um...thanks...I guess I'll hang this in the garage…"

"No, you need to hang this in your office, where you can see it every day. Look...I've numbered it especially for you…" She pointed out the small, neatly written numbers in the upper corners of the date boxes. "The numbers go in descending order until we get to here…" She opened the calendar to July. "...on this day, July 25." The date was circled with a red marker. She wore a silly expression as she showed her husband. "Do you know why this date is so important?"

Booth thought things over for a few seconds until he figured out what she was trying to tell him. A smile crept across his face as he turned to her. "Is that...is that the due date...for the baby? July 25...it'll be like Christmas in July!"

"Of course, that is an approximate date. As Dr. Tran says, 'babies come when they're ready', but mathematically, that's when the baby is due. I believe our child was conceived the night of the Halloween carnival at the children's school...remember?"

"Oh yeah...how could I forget? That was a great bath...even without the beer hat." He grinned happily as he rubbed her shoulders. "So number 4, huh...we're gonna have a houseful…." He thumbed through the calendar again, laughing as he came to July. "Thanks, Bones...Merry Christmas. I love you…" He gave her a tender kiss. "You're the best gift I ever got."

"I love you, too, Booth."

Oooooooooo

It was two o'clock on Christmas Day when Charlie rang the doorbell at Booth's house, balancing a casserole dish in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He waited a few seconds, wondering if the sound had been heard over the din coming from inside the house. As he got ready to try again, Booth opened the door.

"Hey, there, Charlie! Sorry it took me so long...we've got a houseful. Here, let me take that…" Sniffing the wonderful aroma from the dish, the host grinned broadly. "Wow, this smells great."

"Thanks. My mom puts a little bit of parmesan cheese in with the green beans and mushroom soup so it won't be so bland…" Charlie hesitated as he heard familiar voices coming from the living room. "No way…"

"Yes, way. C'mon..." Booth led Charlie past Hodgins and into the living room. "I know all about your mom's green bean casserole. She's been telling Bones about it since she got here earlier this afternoon."

"Mom? Dad?" Charlie stood stunned as he saw his elderly parents seated with Brennan on the sofa. "And Greg? What are you guys doing here?"

Greg Burns laughed out loud as he slapped his brother on the back. "We came to celebrate Christmas with you, you lunkhead! Surprise!"

"But how…" Charlie turned to Booth, who was wearing a Cheshire cat smile. "You did this, didn't you?"

"Maybe...but it's no big deal. it didn't take too much effort to get your parents' phone number from personnel. Betty owed me a favor, since I scared the bejeezus out of her teenager after he came home drunk a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, I called your parents to see if they wanted to come, and then we got some room reservations for them over at the Hyatt…"

An excited Mrs. Burns interrupted Booth. "It's a lovely room, Charlie...it's got a little sitting room, with a bedroom on either side...one for Greg, and one for Dad and me. It's accessible for disabled folks, too, so it's comfortable for both of us…"

Mr. Burns nodded. "Yeah, I like it. Maybe next time we come to visit, you can get us a room there."

"I hope so, Charlie.", his mother agreed. "It really wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, flying out here like we did. Greg got us some plane tickets for Christmas, and here we are. Are you surprised?"

"Well...yeah! And I'm glad to see you, but why now? I mean, I've asked you guys to come for Christmas in the past, and you never wanted to…"

His mother wore a sheepish smirk as she explained. "It's kind of awkward, I guess...you see, your dad and I...we never did like Ellen, but we didn't want to come between the two of you if you were happy with her, so we decided to mind our own business...and then last year, your dad had to have his knee replaced, but this year, things worked out, and here we are!"

"This is so great, having you all here...thanks, Mom and Dad...and thanks, Booth…" Charlie was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

"I'll get it." Brennan walked briskly to the front door as Charlie conversed with his parents. "Agent Burns, it looks like you have another visitor…"

"Prentice?" Charlie was dumbfounded as the agent walked in. "I thought you'd be having Christmas with your family…"

"Peyton and Jim took the kids over to his parents' house this afternoon, so Agent Booth invited me for Christmas dinner. That was nice of him, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, very nice." Charlie smiled happily at his friend. "Booth's a great guy…"

Booth laughed out loud. "Yeah, I am, and don't you forget it. Okay, everybody, let's get ready to eat. Gather round here..."

The large group of people present gathered around the counter to serve themselves buffet style, laughing and talking among themselves as only an extended family can. Prentice stood with Charlie as they watched the happy interactions between the friends as they filled their plates.

"It must be wonderful to have good friends like these, Charlie.", she said softly. "I can see why you'd want to stay here in DC."

"I know. They're a great bunch of people." He quickly ran his knuckle under his eye. "You know, this is the best Christmas I've had in years."

"I'm glad." Prentice nodded as she spooned some green beans onto her plate. "I think you deserve it." She held up her wine glass and offered him a toast.

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Burns!"

* * *

 _For right now, this is the end of the story, although the possibility exists that there might be an epilogue after Christmas. Stay tuned to find out. I hope you all enjoy whatever holiday you celebrate, and that your New Year brings you many blessings. Laura_


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: As promised, here's the epilogue for the story. This chapter is set a year after the previous chapter. Happy New Year, Galaxy Gurl..._**

* * *

It was the second Saturday in December, and things were in an uproar in the Booth/Brennan household as they got ready to leave for their afternoon outing.

"Daddy! I can't find my fuzzy white sweater with the unicorn on it!", Christine wailed from the hallway. "It's my favorite!"

"Daddy! I can't find my other shoe!", Hank yelled as he ran through the living room, stopping suddenly to face his father. "Is it under the couch?"

Brennan brought baby Joey into the room at that moment and handed him over to her husband. "The baby seems quite fussy for some reason. I think he may have an excessive amount of gas in his gastrointestinal tract. Can you try to burp him while I wrap up the cookies for the party?"

"Yeah, sure...no problem." Grimacing slightly, Booth threw a cloth diaper over his shoulder before cautiously propping his infant son up and patting him gently on his back, all the while trying to direct traffic for his two older children. "Christine, your white sweater may be in the laundry. Go put on your red one. Hank, go get a different pair of shoes from your closet. C'mon everybody. We need to leave in ten minutes or we're gonna be late for seeing Santa Claus."

As Christine and Hank ran to get their things, Brennan came out of the kitchen, holding a tray of cookies over her head as a large, friendly dog followed close behind, barking loudly as he bounced happily in circles. "Could you please call the dog, Booth?"

"Mike...here."

The large black lab reluctantly left his mistress's side and came over to sit in front of Booth. Resting his graying snout on Booth's leg, the dog looked up at his master with soulful eyes as his tail thumped loudly against the floor.

"You know dogs don't eat cookies, right, boy?" Balancing Joey in one hand, Booth reached down to stroke the dog's broad head with the other. "But you're a good dog, anyway, aren't you…" Booth smiled as he scratched Mike's ears. "Okay...kennel…"

The dog slowly rose to his feet and ambled over to his crate, groaning softly as he curled up on the blanket inside.

"I'm glad we were able to find an older dog at Lab Rescue, Booth." Brennan sat the cookie tray on the coffee table and took Joey from her husband. "Hank has enjoyed having his big black dog, and it was easier for us, too, since Mike was already so well trained."

"Yeah...the guy who had him before us did a great job with the training the dog, didn't he? Too bad he had to move to Spain and couldn't take him, but I think he felt better knowing that we'd take good care of Mike." Booth walked over and fastened the door on the kennel. "Ready to go, Bones?"

"Yes. Christine? Hank? We need to leave. Come along…put on your coats.", Brennan patted Joey until he offered up a small belch. "There we go. Much better." She put the baby in his carrier and tucked a blanket around him. "Do we have all the gift bags, Booth?"

"Yeah, they're in the back of the SUV. We're gonna help out a lot of families this year." He helped Christine into the car and fastened the belt on her car seat. "I think they collected almost twice as much money as they did last year, so we were able to get a lot of cool stuff."

"I'm glad." Brennan latched the car's seat belt around the base of Joey's infant carrier. "I know you enjoyed shopping for all the toys the children will be receiving at the party this year."

"I did. I don't mind doing the shopping at all, but I'm glad I let Aubrey take over the actual planning of the party. It really is a better job for a younger guy without any kids, you know? Besides…" Booth dropped his voice to a low whisper as he leaned toward his wife. "...I'm also gonna get to play with some toys when we go finish up the shopping for our own kids, right? You and Angela arranged the time trade off for next Tuesday and next Thursday…"

"We're going to the mall next Tuesday, and they're going Thursday. I decided we should wait to finish our shopping until after our children had a chat with Santa Claus, so that we can avoid the issues that occurred last year."

"So, no more big black dog surprises this year?" Booth gave his wife a silly grin. "Oh, c'mon, Bones...that's part of the fun of the holidays, isn't it? All the panicked last minute shopping after you finally believe everything's done?"

"That's not really my idea of fun." She paused as she heard her text alert chime. Smiling broadly, she held up her phone so Booth could take a quick glance at the picture that came up on her screen. "Parker got his Christmas gift today!"

Booth shook his head in surprise as he backed the SUV out of the garage. "I thought you said you sent him a check…"

"I did, but since he's an aspiring writer, I also sent him a thesaurus and some other books via Amazon. Let's see...oh, yes, here it is... _Zen in the Art of Writing_ by Ray Bradbury and _Steering the Craft_ by Ursula Le Guin...and also one by Stephen King."

"With all those books to read he'll be too busy to write, won't he?", Booth teased. "Listen, I know much he appreciates that, you being on his side and all. I don't know the first thing about how to write a book, but with you to help him, I know he'll do great."

"Perhaps, although he may choose to write shorter works, such as poetry or essays. Anyway, I thought those volumes would be helpful for someone who's just starting out." Brennan looked at her stepson's picture on her phone and laughed at the next picture Parker had sent. The teenager's excitement was obvious as he held up a small piece of paper. "However, I believe he's probably more excited about the check we sent him."

"Mommy? Will Santy Claus be able to find Parker in England?", Hank asked anxiously, obviously concerned for his older brother. "He'll get some presents, won't he? I don't want Santy to forget about him."

"Of course, Santa can find him, silly." Christine rolled her eye at her younger brother. "Santa Claus has an app that helps him keep track of where people live after they move."

"Yeah, that makes perfect sense.", Booth chuckled. "And I guess Santa knows whether or not Parker has been good...and whether or not you've been good, Hank."

"Are we gonna have the same Santa at the party that was there last year? He was nice." Christine nodded happily at the memory. "I got to go back to school the Monday after the party last year and tell Maribeth what the man said about Santa being real, and it made her mad, but I didn't care."

"Christine, that's not very nice." Brennan turned around and gave her daughter a pointed look. "It's perfectly acceptable for Maribeth to have a different opinion than yours about something like Santa Claus. Even if you think you're correct, you can still be polite when you disagree with someone. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mommy, but it's really hard to be nice to Maribeth sometimes. We have different opinions a lot." Christine paused as another idea occurred to her. "Do grown ups have to be good to get presents, too? Does Santa leave gifts for you, Mommy?" Christine tilted her head to one side. "Do you still get toys, Daddy?"

Booth gave his wife a naughty smirk before he answered his daughter's question. "Mommy's been very, very good lately, so I bet Santa will give her something especially nice on Christmas Eve, and I bet I'll get at least one toy from Santa, too. Don't worry, Christine...you'll still get presents after you grow up."

Satisfied with her father's answer, the little girl shrugged. "Okay…"

Brennan giggled as she winked at her husband. "I can't wait for Christmas Eve, Booth…I find I'm quite curious about what Santa has in mind for my gift."

Cocking an eyebrow at her, he laughed softly. "Wait and see, Bones...wait and see…"

Oooooooooo

The large conference in the Hoover was once again brightly decorated for the FBI's family Christmas party. Brennan balanced Joey on her hip while she guided her two older children in to the room. Booth came in behind them, lugging several large gift bags. After setting the bags aside, the family stopped to admire the decor.

"This is quite spectacular, isn't it, Booth?" Brennan laughed as she looked around the room. "Aubrey did a wonderful job."

"I don't believe it. Disco balls?" Booth grinned, pointing to the ceiling as Aubrey came over to greet them. "Where the hell did you find those?"

Aubrey grinned at the large silvery balls suspended from the ceiling between cascades of silvery tinsel. "Pretty cool, huh? My grandma used to have a whole bunch of mirrored ornaments like that on her Christmas tree, so when I saw them at the party supply rental place, I decided they'd be perfect. See? They reflect all the different colors from the lights…" He smiled as the different colors were scattered around the room by the prismatic surfaces. "What do you think about the tree?"

A ten foot tall artificial spruce stood in a corner, covered with different kinds of small toys. Instead of garland, track for toy cars was wound around it, and miniature cars sped up to the top of the tree and then raced down toward the bottom. A toy train ran through a tiny town surrounding the base of the tree, with its small buildings and dollhouses made of legos, Lincoln logs, and other varieties of blocks. The baby dolls and stuffed animals nestled in the tree's branches seemed to dance to the Christmas music playing in the background, as teddy bears and larger dolls enjoyed their tea and sandwiches as they sat at a child sized table set with toy dishes.

"Wow...that's amazing." Booth stood in awe as he and his family took in all of the action on the tree. "How long did it take you to set that thing up?"

"Jessica and I spent a couple of evenings this week working on it. It was a lot of fun. Oh, look...there's Caroline." Aubrey waved to the prosecutor, who greeted her protege' with a warm smile.

"The place looks great, Cher'. Hey, Booth…" Caroline winked at her two favorite agents. "Everything looks great, Aubrey." She motioned for them to come closer. "Don't tell anyone, but I've got some pralines in my office for both of you…an early Merry Christmas, I suppose."

Booth tried to act cool about receiving the candy, without much success. "Really? That's great. Thanks, Caroline. By the way, Aubrey...is there someone who can help me bring the rest of the gift bags in from my car? I want to be here when my kids talk to Santa, so I'd like to get that done as soon as possible."

"Sure, we'll get somebody..." Aubrey waved the two teenagers over. "These boys are Agent Guinn's sons, and they're here to help at the party so they can get Honor Society points." He turned to the two young men. "I need you to help Agent Booth bring some things in. Why don't you give Tony your keys, Booth? They can go get the bags and you won't have to mess with them."

Booth eyed the teenager cautiously. "Okay. It's on the bottom level in slot 221. Make sure you lock it back up when you're done."

"Yes, sir." The boys chattered excitedly as they raced off to do their chore. "Oh, boy...a real FBI SUV…"

Arching an eyebrow, Booth turned to Aubrey with a chuckle. "I hope they don't go joyriding in my car. So where's Jessica, Aubrey? I haven't seen her yet."

"She's over there, talking shop with your wife." Aubrey chuckled as he watched his favorite redhead try to corral a feisty Hank before he could dive into the punch bowl. "We've had a lot of fun putting this party together. It was sort of dry run for planning a wedding, you know? We got to see what kind of stuff each other likes…like how fancy to make things for a reception...stuff like that…"

Booth grinned at his friend. "Does that mean you finally proposed to that girl? Congratulations! So, what...April, right?"

"Um...maybe...April...maybe May. I mean, we've talked about it, but we haven't made any official plans yet. We're still in the 'what if' stage. There's nothing to announce or anything like that..." Blushing, Aubrey was anxious to change the subject. "Did I tell you that Charlie Burns came to me and _volunteered_ to be Santa Claus this year? He said he had a lot of fun last year, and he couldn't wait to do it again."

"That's probably be true, especially since he met his girlfriend at last year's Christmas party. Agent Prentice Perotta, remember? She works in Domestic Terrorism…"

"Her? Really? Wow! Her and Charlie?" After realizing he sounded snarky, Aubrey cleared his throat softly. "Sorry...it's just that she's really cute, and he's...well, he's Charlie, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. He may not be the handsomest fella in the world, but Charlie is a great guy. He's kind and caring, alright? Always pleasant...always willing to help others if they need something, and an all around upright guy. I think she appreciates that about him. That's what she was looking for in a man, I guess. She told me last week that he's planning on going around to some of the children's wards at the local hospitals over the next couple of weekends, so he can play Santa Claus for them, too. Nice, huh?"

"Yeah, it is. Speaking of which…" Aubrey checked his watch. "It's about time for the guest honor to make his appearance. Talk to you later."

Oooooooooo

Charlie Burns stood in a corridor outside of the conference room, waiting for the music that would announce his entrance. He grinned as he winked at his girlfriend. "You look good dressed as an elf."

Prentice pretended to glare at him as she pulled on the hem of her short green velvet skirt. "I think you're enjoying this just a little too much."

"Maybe, but I've got a reason to enjoy it. You definitely have the legs for that outfit." He stroked his white artificial beard thoughtfully. "Is Peyton bringing her boys today?"

"I think so, but don't worry...I don't think they'll recognize you. Cooper is very excited about talking to Santa, of course, but Jeremy will probably just squirm to get down. I also think Peyton wants to have a picture taken of both boys together with Santa, and this is about the cheapest way to do it. Aubrey had a good idea, you know? Suggesting that people donate a little bit of cash for their kids' picture with Santa here at the party is clever. Most people don't mind giving up a few dollars for a picture here when it costs so much more at the shopping mall, and it's for a good cause, too."

"Aubrey is smart, although he still has a lot to learn about running a division. Booth will be a good mentor for him, just like he was for me." Charlie grinned as Prentice tried to adjust her hat. "And just like I've been a good mentor to you."

"Now, wait a minute…", Prentice protested before she giggled softly. "I was an experienced agent before I got here, remember, Charlie?"

"I know, but you didn't know anything about life in DC, did you? Like how to get around town, or how much housing is…"

"The housing thing has been a big surprise." Prentice wrinkled her nose in mock disgust. "I'm not sure it's worth it to pay so much more for a place to live."

"But your parents are happier since you moved here, right?" Charlie rolled his eyes at her. "C'mon...DC is a great place to live…oh, there's my cue! We're on…"

 _Santa Claus is Coming to Town_ was playing loudly as the Jolly Old Elf entered the hall, waving and nodding to all the cheering children as he walked up the aisle to his large red chair. Smiling happily, he gestured to a smaller chair next to him, and the helper elf sat down, smoothing her skirt demurely. "Okay, boys and girls...today we have a special guest. Not only did I get to come see you, but I also brought an elf who works in the toy production division of the North Pole!" Prentice waved to the audience as they applauded. "Are you ready to take notes, my little pixie?

"Ready, Santa…" Prentice opened a large green notebook, which was decorated with a picture of Santa's sleigh and the reindeer. "Let's go…"

"Okay, so who's going to be first to sit on Santa's knee?" Assisted by their parents, the children quickly lined up to talk to St. Nick, jostling each other slightly as they all tried to get to the head of the line first.

"Slow down, boys and girls…", Santa chuckled. "I won't leave until I talk to everybody, so it doesn't really matter who's first, right?" Seeing all the heads bob up and down in agreement, he held out his hand to Agent Palmer's little girl. "Alrighty then...let's start with Heather. Come on up here, Sweetheart, and tell old Santy what you want for Christmas."

The line quickly moved along as each child told Santa Claus about what they were dreaming of finding under their tree on Christmas morning. After a half hour or so, Charlie looked over the crowd before leaning over to whisper to his helper. "Peyton's family is about three kids back in the line. You may want to excuse yourself so Cooper doesn't give your real identity away."

"Good idea.", she said quietly. Smiling, she hastily left her seat, leaving the notebook on the chair. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Walking to the back of the room, Prentice stopped at the refreshment table and poured herself a glass of punch. After choosing a cookie, she turned to see her nephews bouncing happily on Santa's lap. "Charlie is such a good guy…look at how good he is with those boys...", she murmured to herself.

"That he is. He's real good guy." As she overheard Agent Perotta's comment, Caroline Julian beamed with pleasure while she watched Charlie, who was having a great time greeting all the youngsters in the guise of Santa Claus. "You'd have to go a good long ways to find a man as good as that one...one that wasn't taken, I mean. Best not let that one get away from you, Cher'."

Prentice nodded as she finished her punch. "Don't worry, Ms. Julian…I won't. I'm gonna hang on to Charlie Burns for a long, long time."

Oooooooooo

The party had been a grand success, and all the gifts had been distributed to deserving families. The children all left with assurances that Santa Claus would personally take care of their Christmas wishes. After the last party goer left and the doors were closed, Charlie puffed out a tired sigh, watching as Aubrey began to clean up the remnants of the celebration.

"That was a lot of fun, but for some reason it wears me out." He grinned at his girlfriend. "I guess talking to a hundred kids in a span of two hours will do that to a guy."

"I think there were over a hundred kids here today, Charlie, but everyone had a good time, didn't they? That makes it all worthwhile, right?"

"Right." Charlie took off his fur trimmed hat and removed his beard. "Hey, after we get things wrapped up here, how about an early dinner at the Founding Fathers? Maybe we can watch _It's a Wonderful Life_ when we get home…"

"That sounds great, but I want to change clothes first." Prentice narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend's smirk. "I'm not going anywhere in public dressed as an elf, especially in a skirt this short. I have to maintain my reputation as a hard nosed FBI agent…"

"...and you don't want to flash everyone in public." Charlie laughed as he began to unbutton his red coat. "I get that...believe me. I don't go out in public dressed as Santa. I always get into my costume when I get to the party. C'mon...let's go change."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Thirty minutes later, Charlie and Prentice were happily ensconced in a booth at the Founding Fathers, talking about the party.

"So Cooper wants more dinosaurs?", Charlie asked as he looked over his menu.

"Yeah, he loves them. I guess he has a dozen or so..." Prentice paused as the waitress came over to take their order. "All different shapes and sizes."

"I about fell over when Christine Booth asked for a kitten." Charlie was practically bubbling over with mirth. "Her dad _hates_ cats...I mean, he can't stand them at all! It's gonna be interesting to see what's more important to him...making her happy by giving her what she asked Santa for, or making himself happy by not having a cat."

"That was pretty funny. Did you see the look on his face? He about passed out. And Aubrey...well, if I didn't know better I'd think Aubrey planted that little seed of catnip in Christine's mind…" Prentice shook her head as she chuckled. "I hope for Aubrey's sake Booth never finds out who gave her the idea…"

"You got that right...oh, look...snow…" Charlie pointed to the fluffy white flakes as they slowly fell through the dark sky. "See? Almost as good as Minnesota."

"I suppose." Prentice shrugged slightly as she sipped her drink. "Don't you miss it, though? The real white Christmases, and all the lakes, and the Twin Cities? I mean, I still do...just a little…"

"Nah…" Charlie shook his head resolutely. "I've got a good job. DC is a great city, even if it is expensive to live here, and I've got friends in the area." He paused as the server brought them their meal. "I think I've talked my parents into moving to North Carolina, so they'll be closer to me. My brother is participating in a job exchange program where he works, and he'll be in Singapore for a year, and it's my turn to help them anyway…" He winked at the woman across the table from him. "And I have a very cute girlfriend here in town, so I guess I'm gonna stay put…"

"Thanks, Honeybunch." Prentice smiled gently as she continued. "My parents are thrilled that I've moved closer to them, as is Peyton, and I'm adjusting very well, thanks to you. I still miss a few things about Minneapolis, but you've made the massive changes in my life much easier." She reached over to pat Charlie's hand. "By the way, I have a little something for you...it's an early Christmas gift, I guess...kind of silly, but here…"

She put a Christmas gift bag on the table. "Open it."

"But I don't have your gift here…", Charlie stammered, thinking about the diamond engagement ring that was sitting in its velvet box in his sock drawer. "I didn't know…it's not Christmas yet."

"Of course you didn't know. It's a surprise. Besides, this isn't your real gift. This is just a taste of what's to come, okay?" She pushed the bag closer to him. "Come on...please? Open it…"

"Oh, okay." He pulled the tissue from the bag and pulled out a magazine. "Oh...um...this is...nice…"

"Weird, right? Why would I give you a magazine made up of ads for apartment listings? Well, here's why." Prentice opened the magazine to a dog earred page. "I was looking at this one...two bedrooms, two baths...walk in closet in the master...nice sized kitchen. I think, if we wanted…" She hesitated slightly, wondering if she was doing the right thing, and then decided to go for it. "If we wanted, we could afford it if we moved in together and pooled our salaries. We spend a lot of time together anyway…"

Charlie's heart began to thump wildly as he realized what she was trying to say. "Prentice...are you asking me to move in with you?"

"Yes…" She nodded slowly. "Yes, I am. I love you, Charlie, and I want us to be together...if that's what you want, that is…"

"If that's what I want?" He could hardly keep from doing a crazy dance around the room. "Of course, that's what I want...of course, we can live together. Wow...this is crazy...I love you, Prentice, and you've made me so happy. Wow…" He exhaled slowly as he grinned at her. "This is amazing, you know?"

"So...yes?"

"Definitely, yes." Charlie was grinning from ear to ear. "Wow! Merry Christmas to me!"

Relieved that Charlie had agreed, Prentice smiled back. "Yes...Merry Christmas to both of us, Charlie Burns!"


End file.
